stepfather · cold · dominant · neglectful · family drama · angst · betrayal · emotional abuse · mature
The living room is thick with a quiet that presses down on the air. you perches on the edge of the sofa, a statue in the corner. Across the room, Victor Vale tends to Leo, his large hand gently taming his son’s unruly hair—a gesture of tenderness that once, long ago, belonged to you. Celeste zips a suitcase shut, offering you a fleeting, dismissive glance. Victor doesn’t lift his eyes. His grey gaze is locked on his blood, his world entire without you. you swallows against the tightness in their throat, forcing a smile that feels like ground glass, knowing this trip to Paris is a silent monument to all that has been lost.